Wrinkle deterring and textile cleaning processes and apparatuses

ABSTRACT

Processes and apparatuses ( 10 ) for commercial and home-use cleaning of textile. Home-use embodiments replace the home laundry clothes dryer, except for embodiments using a novel manual kit (K). Soiled/stained textile ( 12, 14 ) sprayed dampened with solvent, preferably automatically in the dryer apparatus&#39; rotatable drum ( 16 ); but the textile therein is not soaked nor immersed in solvent. Highly absorbent, untreated pad material ( 3, 56 ) is placed into the drum, for rubbing against the tumbling textile ( 12, 14 ), to remove the soil, stains and solvent, as well as provide wrinkle deterring hydration. Also, for home-use washer and washer-dryer combined units, the pad material ( 3, 56 ) can be placed into the drum ( 16 ) prior to the washing cycle, to enhance the scrubbing action.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/385,384, filed on 3 Jun. 2002, entitled METHOD AND DEVICES FORPREVENTING WRINKLING OF TEXTILES IN DRYERS; and is aContinuation-in-Part of prior pending U.S. application Ser. No.10/333,675, filed on 22 Jan. 2003, entitled TEXTILE CLEANING PROCESSESAND APPARATUSES, which is a Title 15 U.S.C. Section 371 application ofPCT Application No. PCT/US01/23444, filed 25 Jul. 2001, published inEnglish as WO 02/08510 A1, on 31 Jan. 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention concerns textile cleaning processes and apparatuses,useful in commercial facilities, group housing and private dwellings.

2. Prior Art

Textile cleaning processes and apparatus have been in use commerciallyfor a considerable length of years. For the most part, commercialprocesses have changed/improved relatively little except for the use ofless dangerous solvents. Likewise, commercial dry cleaning equipment,except for more automation, is mostly the same for the past fifty yearsand do that which was done previously.

Commercial dry cleaning, as is well known, is not a dry process, it isbasically a waterless process, using unhealthy, unfriendly and hazardousliquid solvents, in which the soiled textiles are immersed and mixed ina rotating drum until the soil transfers from the textile into thesolvent bath. Also, the volume of solvent needed to immerse the textilesin the drum presents its own problems: cost, storage space, properdisposal, filtering and recycling, etc.

Home-use laundry cleaning equipment typically comprises: a textilewashing machine, in which the textiles are fully immersed in water witha detergent; and a separate drying machine, employing a tumbling drum,into which heated air is passed. Home-use laundry equipment also comesin the form of a single piece of equipment, which first immerses, washesand drains, and then hot air dries the textiles; thereby providinghousing space savings and eliminating the step of moving the spun down,but very wet textile, from the washer unit into the dryer unit.

The two unit and one unit home-use laundry cleaning equipment, as wellas commercial textile dryers, have a common problem, the laundry andtextile will become wrinkled, before removal from the dryer, unlessthere is closely timed human operator intervention to remove thetextiles prior to wrinkling, but after sufficient drying. Home-useunits, both the separate washer and dryer, as well as the combinedwasher and dryer, also have the problems of inadequate cleaning andresidual cleaning agent remaining after washing and drying.

Quite recently, there has entered the market place kits for home-use, inhome clothes dryers, for freshening and cleaning of garments whichcannot be washed in water and are not so soiled that commercial drycleaning should be used. Although such kits are convenient to use, theircapability to satisfactorily remove soil is limited. Such kits havesolvent impregnated, small, thin sheets which are put into the dryerdrum with the soiled garments. The heat within the rotating drumreleases the solvent from those sheets into the atmosphere of the drum.The tumbling garments are “immersed” in the solvent containingatmosphere for the cleaning function. The sheets also are impregnatedwith a pleasant fragrance substance, to impart a clean smell to thegarment. Some kits also include pre-spotting solution, to be applied toselected soil spots of the garment, prior to being placed into the dryerdrum. A problem with the use of such kits is that either extensivepre-spotting is needed, or the cleaning is inadequate, or both. Somekits also include a bag into which the garments and impregnated sheetsare placed. The bag inhibits the garments from contact with the hotinterior surface of the drum and also confines the solvent containingatmosphere.

DEFINITIONS

The term “textile” encompasses: fabrics, garments, laundry, clothing andcloth.

The term “dryer” include: home-style clothes dryers, coin operatedgarment dryers, commercial laundry dryers, commercial fabric cleaningapparatus of the fabric immersion type and also the non-immersed type(as disclosed in our above cited applications); usually, such dryers andcleaning apparatuses have drums which rotate during the drying of thetextiles therein.

The terms “washer”, “washing machine”, “home-use laundry, or textilewashing equipment” encompass top loading and front loading units, aswell as washer and dryer combined units.

The terms “pad” and “padding” encompass highly absorbent components,such as components 3, 3′, 54 and 56 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

The term “untreated” means that the pads do not initially containcleaning solvent, contrary to prior art teachings.

When some textiles are being dried, in a drum-type dryer, after beinglaundered, cleaned in an immersion type or non-immersion commercialunit, these textiles can become wrinkled if they are dried toocompletely and/or too fast, before being removed from the dryer andplaced on hangers, or otherwise laid-out, to reduce wrinkle formation.Many home-type and commercial dryers have been equipped with means forcombating the problem of wrinkling textile, for example: reducing theapplied heat prior to the end of the drying cycle; controlling dryerrotation speed and duration with respect to the type of textile, i.e.permanent press in contrast to cotton; humidity sensing; lowertemperature for entire drying cycle; air/fluff drying without heat; etc.Also, the dried load should not contain a mixture of different types oftextile, which would hold different amounts of moisture, be of differentthickness/weight.

Notwithstanding the design capabilities of the dryers, experienced humanoperators have been necessary to ensure wrinkle free results.

Quite often, the human operator, rather than permitting too much drying,terminates the drying cycle prematurely and then examines the textileload in the drum to determine moisture content. Thereupon, the operatorcan reset drying parameters, especially including a shortening orlengthening of the remaining drying time. Sometimes, stopping andrestarting the drying cycle more than once is necessary to prevent toomuch drying and resulting wrinkling. Also, textiles are considereddesirably dried if they have a “nice hand”, and “soft hand”, are notshrunk, don't hold static electricity and don't retain from the finalwash rinse soap, detergent, additives or soil.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Undesired textile wrinkling and other above mentioned problems can beresolved by use of the present invention, in which absorbent padding isplaced in the dryer drum for retaining moisture longer than the textilesbeing dried; and the moist padding keeps the atmosphere in the drumhighly humid. Thus, the textiles are not dried to the point ofwrinkling, because they do not lose their moisture content too fast.Also, when the textiles tumble into contact with the padding, thepadding absorbs moisture from the textiles, imparts a soft hand and nicehand. Additionally, the contact between textiles and padding is arubbing motion, which transfers any residual soaps, detergents,additives and soil from textile to padding. The padding can be securedto the interior of the drum, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, withreference to pads 3′, 54, 115 and 117 and/or be loose, as the pads 3 and56 in some of those same Figs. The loose pads can be wetted prior tobeing placed in the drum. The secured padding can be wetted prior to thetextiles being placed into the drum or subsequently; also as taught inour above cited applications.

In the commercial and automated home-use dryer embodiments, the textilesare not immersed in solvent. A sufficient, small amount of solvent issprayed, onto the textiles when inside the drum, early in the cleaningprocess. Thereupon, rotation of the drum brings the textiles and padsinto frictional contact, repeatedly. The pads can be removably fastenedto the “lifting” ribs and body of the drum and/or be free to move aboutin the rotating drum. For this home-use embodiment, if there are no ribsto secure the highly absorbent, untreated pads, the pads are placedloosely in the drum.

In a manual home-use embodiment, the textiles are sprayed, not soakednor immersed, with the cleaning solvent, prior to being placed into thedrum. For the home-use, stand alone washer and washer-dryer combination,the pads also can be removably secured to the interior of the drum atconvenient locations.

Other features of the improved process and apparatus will be disclosedin the next following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is side view of the commercial cleaning machine of the invention,with its side cover removed and somewhat pictorial, showing majorcomponent parts; FIG. 2 is a front view of the cleaning machine of FIG.1, with its front cover off, somewhat pictorial, showing major componentparts, with pads and textile in the drum;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of a home-use unit, with its side coverremoved;

FIG. 4 is a partial view of a home-use laundry washing unit, somewhatpictorial and broken away to show the mounted pads; and

FIG. 5 is a pictorial illustration of the contents of a home-use starterkit, with components not to scale with respect to each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Described first will be the home-use, suitable for a kit sold in grocerystores, embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the contents/components of astarter kit K would be: a bottle 1 of solvent 1′, preferably with aspray dispensing head 2; a plurality of highly absorbent, untreated pads3, and instructions 4 for their use in a standard, home style, clothesdryer. Optionally, the kit K also could include a one-use or repeat-usecontainment bag 5 for holding the textiles and pads in the drum of thedryer, one purpose of which is to keep the textiles hydrated with thesolvent for a sufficient time. Another optional component, especiallyuseful if a containment bag is not used, is covering means 6,positionable over the typical lint filter of the home style dryer, toreduce air flow from the dryer drum, thereby to keep the textileshydrated with the solvent for a sufficient length of time; so that theirfrictional contact with the pads is such that the pads are rubbing overthe damp textile, to rub off the soil and absorb the solvent. Alsooptional, but preferred, is a container 7 of spot removing liquid 7′having an applicator tip and a spotter bone 8 and brush 9; to be usedbefore and/or after cleaning by the process of this invention, as mightbe needed for stubborn/unique spots of soil.

The pads 3 for this home-use unit embodiment can be of a wide range ofshapes, sizes and materials; and, for that reason, are not shown indetail in any Figure of this specification. These pads should haveenough mass to frictionally confront and rub against the textile. Athickness of about one-quarter to one-half inch (about 0.60 to 1.25 cm.)has worked well with surface areas of ten to fifty square inches (about65 to 325 cm. sq.). The quantity of pads depend upon their sizes, theamount of textile material to be cleaned, the volume of the drum, theduration of drum rotation, the rate of solvent evaporation and extent towhich the textile is soiled. Additional variables are the material ofthe textile and its thickness. Also, some solvents can function betterat different temperatures than others, which can affect theirevaporation rate. The quantity and weight of the textiles being cleanedand the amount of the pads should be such that the random tumblingmovement of the pads and the textiles in the rotating drum causes aconsiderable amount of surface-to-surface rubbing contact therebetween,which is essential for adequate cleaning by this process. The materialof the pads is to be highly absorbent, smooth texture and not the sourceof any undesirable amount of lint from its own body or because of itsrubbing against the textile. Cotton, felt, terry, etc. are materials ofthe type which provide the absorbance, smoothness and weight desirablefor a pad to be used in both this home-use and the commercialembodiments of this invention. Preferably, the pads can used for a fewloads of cleaning, before they are too dirty to be used again. Then,they can be cleaned/washed for further use. When used with the washingunit 101 of FIG. 4, which also could be a combined washer and dryer, thepads would become soaked during the washing cycle and be useful as ascrubbing surface, against which the tumbling textiles would rub.However, if the apparatus is a combined washer and dryer, the soakedpads could carry too much hydration into the drying cycle, even thoughsuch combination units have a high speed wash liquid extraction spincycle (1,200 RPM). Accordingly, pads for these “combo” units could bethinner than for stand alone dryers.

The solvent 1′ and the optional pre-spotting liquid 7′ can be selectedfrom any of many existing, as well as future formulated, user friendlyand environmentally approved liquids, including water-based cleaners andwater diluted mixtures thereof. A few examples of such solvents are:

DF-2000, a synthetic aliphatic hydrocarbon manufactured by ExxonChemical Co., Houston, Tex.; Vista LPA-142, a paraffinic, maphthenic,manufactured by Vista Chemical Co., Houston, Tex.; N-Ta Germ Liquid, analkyl dimethyl benzyl amonium chloride; N Ta Germ Wet Clean additive:DWX-44 detergent, DWX-Spray Spotter, Kleerospray Spotter, Nature-Ladditive, each manufactured by Kleerwite Chemical, Burke, Va.; Cal-Off,a pre-spotter, diethylene glycol methyl ether, manufactured by CalcdChemical, Wayne, N.J.; and Zuds, a water based spotting compound, alsomanufactured by Calcd Chemical.

Experience to date indicates that the solvent can contain at least 75%water and the spotter should be more concentrated. As is known, aspotting solution can be used before and/or after the textile is cleanedin the drum.

The optional containment bag would have sufficient volume to hold a fewgarments/textiles and the above identified pads 3, such that thetextiles and pads can tumble freely within the closed bag as the drumrotates. The bag would have some form of closure 5′ and be of a materialwhich can withstand repeated use. It can have one or more layers, one ofwhich would be somewhat vapor impermeable, to reduce the rate ofevaporation of the cleaning solvent; whereby, the solvent can be ofmaximum use in working on/in the textile, for removal of the soil andthe used solvent onto the pads. In a preferred embodiment of thecontainment bag 5, it would have an inner layer or liner 3′ of the padmaterial, to enhance the rubbing off of the soil from the textiles.Having some or all of an inner layer 3′ of the highly absorbent,untreated pad material can reduce the amount of the pad pieces 3otherwise placed into the containment bag, or the drum, if there is nobag. Under some conditions of textile material and soil content, itwould be sufficient for the pad inner layer to obviate need for theindividual pieces of pad.

As noted above, it is important to keep the textiles hydrated with thesolvent 1′ for a sufficient duration, without immersing or soaking oreven wetting down the textiles prior to placing them directly into thedrum, or into the containment bag which then goes into the drum.Preferably, the textiles are only mist-sprayed with the solvent.Accordingly, especially when a containment bag is not employed, thehome-style dryer should be inhibited from the extent/rapidity of itsnormal venting, by reducing the amount of air flow into and out from thedrum. Typically, the primary amount of venting air passes through thelint filter. Hence, blocking of the lint filter will reduce the solventevaporation rate. Such blocking can be partial or total and can beaccomplished in various ways by various means; one simple means would bethe insertion of a piece of fabric 6 into and covering the lint filter.

The duration of textile tumbling in the dryer drum with the highlyabsorbent, untreated pads, will depend upon the size of the drum, thesize of the load, the amount of pads and the textile material. About20-30 minutes usually will be needed. It is to be appreciated that thecleaning process according to this invention does not require that thetextile be dry before removal from the dryer. To the contrary, if thetextile is too dry, it could wrinkle. Preferably, the textile is removedfrom the dryer drum and containment bag if such bag is used while thetextile is slightly damp. Then, the textile is placed on a hanger or thelike to dry without wrinkling.

In one embodiment of the invention, only loose pads are employed, suchas the pads 3 and 56 shown in incorporated FIGS. 2 and 5. In a secondembodiment, only attached pads or padding are employed, such as thecomponents 54, 115 and 117 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 which are removablyattached to the interior of the drums. A third and fourth embodimentemploys one or both attached and loose pad components, such as 56, 3 and54, in the rotating drum. A fifth embodiment can be the textilecontainment bag 5 having an inner lining or layer of pad 3′ and/orpieces of the pad 3 therein, as shown in FIG. 5. In all of theseembodiments, the primary purpose of the highly absorbent pads/padding isto contain sufficient liquid to keep the humidity level into the drumvery high, during the full dryer cycle, while the pads themselves aredrying at a much slower rate than the thinner textiles. In the wash andspin cycles of the unit 101 of FIG. 4, the pads 115 and 117 provide solremoving scrubbing action.

The loose pads 3 and 56 can be placed into the dryer pre-wetted or dry.If dry, then the pads would need to absorb moisture from the wettextile. The attached pad material 54 would be made wet by the wettextile; and/or could be sprayed with water from the nozzles 26 and 74,as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Not only do the textiles obtain some moisture from the wet pads whenrubbing/brushing against each other during tumbling in the drum, thetextiles do not become over dry and lose their natural moisture content,because the wet pads maintain a high level of humidity in the drum. Thisprevents wrinkling of the textiles, imparts a soft hand, preventsshrinking and eliminates static electricity. By brushing against thetextiles, the pads also help impart a nice hand. The pads, especiallythe attached pads 54, buffer the drop of the textiles against the metalinterior of the drum, thus helping to prevent broken buttons, zippersand textile trim. Also, because the pads absorb wash water from thetextiles, the pads absorb soap, detergents, additives and soil left inthe textiles after the final wash rinse.

The process of the commercial/professional embodiment of this inventionis very similar to the home-use embodiment, except it takes advantage ofbeing able to use some existing commercial dry cleaning technology andimprove upon it. Primarily, the novel features of the commercialembodiment are: (1) The solvent mist spraying and air/water/steamjetting upon the textile are automatically accomplished in the drum,while the drum is rotating and during rotation dwell times. (It is to beemphasized that the textile is not immersed in a solvent or water bath,nor soaked in the solvent or water.) (2) The untreated, highly absorbentpads are secured to the lifting ribs of the drum. (3) Regulation of airflow, drum temperature, drum r.p.m., solvent spraying, and moisturelevel are accomplished by sensors and computer controls.

Many of the mechanical elements shown in FIGS. 1-3 are not discussedhereinafter, since their presence and operation are not essential to afull understanding of the invention claimed herein. Those same FIGS. 1-3are found and their elements described in our above cited United Statesand PCT applications.

More specifically and with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the commercialtextile cleaning machine 10 can be an existing piece of equipment,modified to employ the novel process of this invention. However, a new,simpler, textile cleaning machine 10 can be built to perform the newmethod.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, which show somewhat pictorially theside and front views of a commercial dry cleaning machine 10, with coverpanels removed, embodying the invention, but showing only majorcomponents; it will become evident to those skilled in the art that themachine 10 is simpler than an existing commercial dry cleaning machine,can be less rugged, more economic and simpler to use. Since the processemploying the machine 10 does not immerse the textile 12, 14 in asolvent bath, nor even soak that textile in solvent, there is no needfor placing many gallons of solvent into the drum 16; thus avoidinghaving hundreds of pounds of solvent supported in the revolving drum.There is not any expensive and bulky solvent recovery and recirculationsystem, since less than one quart (one liter) of solvent is needed bythe invention per twenty-five pound (11 kilograms) load and mostly isabsorbed by the untreated pads and/or are vented out with the soilparticulates. Hence, the solvent container 18 can be housed easilywithin the machine 10 and connected to a pump 20, which will pump thesolvent into the drum 16 as a spray mist, via lines 22, 24 and jet heads26. The solvent tank 18 can represent a plurality of tanks coupled inparallel and holding different: solvents, conditioners, sizing, waterproofing, fire proofing, etc. substances. The pump 20 can generate 60 to110 p.s.i. Alternately (not shown), a barrel or large tank of thesolvent can be located outside of the machine 10 and connected to thepump 20. Since the pump is moving a small quantity of solvent, it can besmaller then presently needed in commercial dry cleaning equipment. Ifthere results a small volume dirty waste liquid, it can be collectedfrom the drum by waste disposal means 28, 30 and then removed accordingto regulatory/environmental procedures, which could be as simple asflushing down to a sewer; which is especially a viable form of wastedisposal, since a preferred embodiment of the solvent can bewater-based.

Since the drum 16 is not to contain a heavy volume of solvent, it can bea lighter structure, have lighter support and be rotated by a smallermotor 32, coupled to the rear 33 of the drum via a belt 34, driven shaft35, etc. than present dry cleaning machines. The motor 32 also can beused to drive the air circulation fan 36, but separate motors (notshown) could be more practical. The interior periphery of the drum 16 isperforated 38, as is typical, so that not only the air circulated by thefan 36 can enter the drum, but especially the jet mist spray of solvent18, can enter via the jet heads 26, which are positioned next to thedrum. The jet heads 26 also can supply air only, or pressurized waterfrom an interior supply 39 or an exterior supply, or a mixture of airand water. The jet heads 26 are position to direct solvent, etc. alongthe axial direction of the drum and at right angles thereto, so as todampen the textiles from plural directions. Since the rear end 33 of thedrum 16 is closed, except for the perforations 38, the jet heads 26,pointing into the drum's rear end, would be journaled (not shown) forrotation with the drum. For ease of viewing the FIGS., the perforations38 are not shown in FIG. 2 and only a few are shown in FIG. 1.

For the same reason as discussed for the home-use embodiment, thecommercial embodiment requires the textile 12, 14, to remain damp withsolvent; hence, solvent evaporation rate needs to beretarded/controlled. Such control is provided by a damper 40, which islocated in an air output line 42 and an air recirculation line 44 thatreturns air from the drum to the input side of the fan 36, forreintroduction into the drum, via the perforations 38. If the damper 40is closed, the recirculating air, which also carries solvent moisture,is passed through a lint and dirt filter 41 and returned to the drum tohelp in continuing the hydration of the textiles. If the damper is open,the moist air can pass outward through the output line 42. If needed, toincrease the hydration, moist air and/or steam can be supplied throughthe jet heads 26 from a line 45, which is connected to a source (notshown), such as a small external boiler. Such steam/moisture also can besupplied at selected times to: clean water soluble stains; reactivatesolvent on the drying textiles; and give a final “hand” to the textiles.Also, the fan 36 can be turned off as well as have its speed changed,via a program panel 46. The program panel 46 is connected to preset thesequential operations of the machine 10 into various modes, as well asenable random inputs by an operator. Opening and closing of the damper40 is one of the many operations via the program panel 46.

The machine 10 also includes an air compressor 48, which can be part ofor separate from the pump 20, but can be used in conjunction therewith.The compressor can be used to provide the jet action for the jet mistsolvent spray through the line 22, 24 and jet heads 26. Also, thecompressor 48 can supply jets of air, without accompanying solvent,through the jet heads 26, for purposes discussed further below, and forpropelling steam/moisture from line 45.

A heater 50 is provided to warm the circulating air. The program panel46 controls when the heater is on and what temperature is to beprovided. Programming also controls various valves, only a few of whichare illustrated in FIG. 1. The term “program panel” is used herein torepresent all needed programming means, sensors, etc., etc., since suchprogramming means and operations are well within the skill in the art.

Typically, drums of dry cleaning machines contain a plurality of textilelifting ribs 52 which cause the textiles to be lifted away from theperiphery of the rotating drum and tossed toward its axis of rotation.Such ribs 52 play an important additional roll in the present invention.The highly absorbent, untreated pads 52 are removably mounted alongthese ribs. For ease of viewing FIGS. 1 and 2, only a few of the ribs 52are shown, and only three of the ribs, one in FIG. 1 and a different twoin FIG. 2 have pads 54 mounted thereon. In actual practice, both sidesof each rib 52 can support pads 54. If there are four ribs 52 in a drumand they project radially inward five inches and are thirty six incheslong (about 13 cm. high and 90 cm. long), they can support approximatelyone thousand, four hundred and forty square inches of pad, which is tensquare foot of surface (approximately 9,360 cm. sq.). The rotation ofthe drum 16, for twenty to thirty minutes, with this pad surface, willresult in a significant amount of soil removing, rubbing contact betweenthe textiles 12, 14 and the pads 54. If conditions require more padsurface, the drums can be built with more ribs; also, loose pads 56, asemployed in the home-use embodiment, can be put into the drum 16.Typically, the ribs 52 are perforated, or can be perforated as at 58.The pads 54 can be provided with clips (not shown) for detachablymounting the pads onto the ribs. Other mounting means, such as Velcro oradhesives can be used, so that the pads can be removed for periodicwashing and/or replacement.

A significant improvement in a home-use textile cleaning process andunit 64 next will be described with reference to FIG. 3. This unit andprocess employ both the mist spraying of solvent air and water into thedrum and the highly absorbent pads of the commercial embodiment of FIGS.1 and 2; hence, it does not use the textile containment bag 5, nor themanual pre-spraying of the solvent onto the textiles, as describedhereinabove with reference to FIG. 5 and the home-use kit K. Thishome-use unit 64 basically starts from a typical home-useclothes/laundry dryer, with its horizontal axis rotatable drum, heater,filter, etc.; hence, these components are not shown in FIG. 3. Also notshown is the typical front loading access door and electric controls. Itis to be understood that this new unit 64 also continues to be usable asa typical home-use laundry room clothes dryer.

FIG. 3 shows the right side 66, near its rear, with its side panel 68removed, of the home-use unit 64. A refillable supply ofDry-Wetcleaning™ solvent is supported in a container 70 in the interiorof the unit 64 and has its capped refill opening 72 projecting out fromthe top of the unit. A plurality of spray heads 74 are coupled to boththe solvent container 70 and a compressor 76, so as to be able to spraysolvent through perforations (not shown) in the typically non-rotatingend cover 78 of the rotatable drum (not shown); whereby, textiles in thedrum can be dampened by the solvent, similar to the jet spray solventdampening in the commercial embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

If the interior of the drum has lifting ribs, such as the ribs 52 shownin FIG. 2, or the interior of the drum is adapted to have pads 54secured thereto, then the solvent spray dampening, the textile cleaningand hydration by rubbing against the absorbing pads 54 will beaccomplished in much the same manner as in the commercial embodimentdisclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2; exceptions being that in thatembodiment there is more automation and the drum 16 can rotate inopposite directions, between which there can be programmed dwell timeused for additional spraying of the solvent, etc. If the pads 54 are notsecured to the interior of the drum, or such pads do not providesufficient rubbing, absorbent and hydration absorbent surface, loosepads 56 would be placed in the drum.

Thus, a conventional domestic clothes dryer can be replaced by thehome-use unit 64, having all the functions of the domestic clothesdryer, most of the Dry-Wetcleaning capabilities of a commercial machine10 according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is to be understood as showing a home-use laundry washing machine101, or a washer-dryer combination unit 101. Although the drum or basket103 is shown vertically for top loading, it could, for purposes of theinventive feature next described, be front loading, with the drumpositioned horizontally. For ease of understanding FIG. 4, a typical,vertically standing agitator is not shown in the drum. In fact, somelaundry washing units do not have such typical agitators, but have othermechanisms for agitating or mixing the detergent or solvent in the drumwith the laundry (textile), to achieve cleaning action.

The drum or basket 103 typically is manufactured with numerousperipheral perforations 105, only a few of which are shown in FIG. 4.The well known function of the perforations 105 is to permit spin cycleextraction of the liquid detergent/solvent from the drum. The drum orbasket 103 also can be provided with ribs 107, only one of which isshown, that are similar to the ribs 52 shown in the drum 16 of FIGS. 1and 2, lying parallel to the axis of the drum and secured to itsperiphery 109. In addition to the known textile lifting function of theribs, when there is generated relative motion between the drum periphery109, the solvent/detergent (not shown in FIG. 4) and the textiles, forexample 111 and 113, the ribs 107 can be used to removably support padmaterial 115 which would come into frequent rubbing contact with thetextiles 111 and 113 and act as scrubbing brushes. Similarly, some ofthe perforations 105 can be used to removably support other pieces ofscrubbing pad material 117 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 4). Thepad material can be the same substance as the highly absorbent pads 54and 56, above described and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. If the unit 101 is acombined washer and dryer, then the pad material 115 and 117 will servea dual purpose: (a) to enhance textile cleaning, by acting as textilescrubbers in the wash mode; and (b) to deter textile wrinkling in thedrying mode, by maintaining textile hydration.

The hereinabove description of the commercial/professional and home-useprocesses and the embodiments of textile cleaning machine 10 andhome-use units 64 and 101 should enable those skilled in the art toconstruct new textile cleaning machines, or make modifications to anexisting dry cleaning machine, home-use clothes dryer, home-usewasher-dryer combo and home-use laundry washer, employing highlyabsorbent pads, while remaining within the scope of the inventions. Thesame applies to the first described home-use process and the componentskit K for use therewith.

1-21. (canceled)
 22. In a process for cleaning textile in a drum withina machine, said process comprising the steps of: dampening the textilewith liquid, other than for spotting, in the absence of soaking orimmersing the textile in liquid; controlling the duration that thetextile maintains hydration; and said controlling including at least inpart placing highly absorbent pad material into the drum for absorbingat least some of the liquid in the textile and drum for release backinto air within the drum and into the textile at a rate slower thanbeing released from the dampened textile.
 23. In the process accordingto claim 22, the step of dampening being: manually dampening the textilewith solvent, exterior to the drum and machine.
 24. In the processaccording to claim 22, said step of dampening being: sprayingautomatically the solvent into the drum from exterior the drum.
 25. Inthe process according to claim 24, said step of dampening being: atleast one of steam, air and water.
 26. In the process according to claim22, the step of: removing the textile from the drum when the textile hassufficiently dried, but also retains enough hydration to besubstantially wrinkle free.
 27. In a process for cleaning textile in adrum within a machine, said process comprising the steps of: placinghighly absorbent pad material into the drum; generating relativemovement between the textile, the pad material and cleaning/rinsingliquid in the drum; and scrubbing action thereby being caused by the padmaterial upon the textile.
 28. In the process according to claim 27, themachine being a combination textile washing and drying machine, thesteps of: absorbing, by the pad material, some of cleaning/rinsingliquid from the textile and the drum, during said scrubbing action;retaining the pad material in the drum after the scrubbing action andthroughout textile drying by the machine; and controlling the durationof hydration that the liquid has imparted to the textile by releasingsome of that liquid from the pad material back into the textile and thedrum.
 29. In the process according to claim 27, the step of: removingthe textile from the drum when the textile has sufficiently dried, butalso retains enough hydration to be substantially wrinkle free. 30.Apparatus for cleaning textile in a drum within a machine, saidapparatus comprising: dampening means for applying solvent to thetextile, other than for spotting, to dampen the textile in the absenceof soaking or immersing the textile in the solvent or any liquid; andhighly absorbent pad material in said drum; said pad material and thedampened textile being in rubbing contact in said drum; whereby, soiland solvent are transferred from the textile to said pad material and;at least near the end of the cleaning, while the textile is drying insaid drum, said pad material hydrates the textile to deter the formationof wrinkles.
 31. Apparatus according to claim 30, in which: at leastsome of said pad material is detachably secured within said drum. 32.Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said drum has interior liftingribs; and said pad material is detachably secured to said lifting ribs.33. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein: said pad material isuntreated.
 34. Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein: said padmaterial is felt.
 35. Apparatus according to claim 30, in which: saiddampening means is constructed and arranged to spray solventautomatically, from exterior said drum, into said drum.
 36. Apparatusaccording to claim 35 comprising: automatic spraying equipment, foradditional spraying into said drum at least one of air, steam or water,without soaking or immersing the textile in liquid in said drum. 37.Apparatus for cleaning textile, comprising: a drum within a machine;highly absorbent pad material in said drum; means. for introducingliquid into said drum for cleaning and rinsing textile in said drum; andmeans for generating relative movement between the textile, the liquidand said pad material; whereby said textile rubs against said padmaterial causing a scrubbing of said textile.
 38. Apparatus according toclaim 37 in which: said machine is a laundry washing machine; and saidpad material is attached to the interior of said drum.
 39. Apparatusaccording to claim 37, in which: said machine is a combination washingand drying machine; said pad material is present in said drum duringwashing and drying of the textile; and said pad material defines asource for hydration of the textile during drying thereof in said drum;whereby, the textile does not dry to the extent that wrinkles are formedprior to the textile removal from said drum.
 40. For use in a processfor drying wet textile in a rotatable drum of a textile dryer, theinvention comprising: highly absorbent pad material, for maintaininghydration of the initially wet textile in the drum by; absorbing some ofthe liquid in the wet textile, when the pad material and the textile rubagainst each other during rotation of the drum; and releasing back, fromthe pad material to the textile and the interior of the drum, some ofthe liquid at a rate slower than being removed from the textile.
 41. Theinvention according to claim 40, in which said pad material is securedto the interior periphery of the drum to provide at least one of: acushion protective of buttons and zippers on the textile as they tumblein the rotating drum; and a smooth, soft hand finish to the dryingtextile.
 42. In a kit for use with a textile dryer having a rotatabledrum: highly absorbent pad material to be placed in the drum with liquidwet textile; whereupon, at least near the end of the typical dryingcycle, said pad material hydrates the textile to deter formation ofwrinkles.